Restorative Justice

What is Restorative Justice?

Would you want to meet the offender who attacked you? Or the person who burgled your home, and ask them why?

Restorative Justice is your opportunity to do that. It gives victims of crime the chance to meet the offender responsible and talk to them about their actions, the impact they have had and ask any questions.

Taking part can help you to understand what has happened and move on with your live, and holds offenders responsible for their behaviour.

This video explains Restorative Justice in more detail.

A victim’s guide to restorative justice from the Restorative Justice Council

How do I take part?

If you have reported the incident to the police, the officer in your case should tell you about the Restorative Justice process, what it involves and how you can take part in it.

Lancashire Constabulary’s dedicated team of RJ co-ordinators is responsible for arranging RJ in the county – but you can speak to them about taking part even if you haven’t reported the crime to the police.

The only condition is that both the victim (the “harmed”) and the offender (the “harmer”) need to agree they want to take part in the process.

What does Restorative Justice involve?

Restorative Justice normally involves a face-to-face meeting between the victim and the offender. Another person, known as a facilitator, will also be present to run the process and make sure it is safe for both parties. This is called a Restorative Justice Conference.

The conference will look at:

The facts – what happened and why?
The consequences – how has what happened affected the victim?
The future – what needs to happen to repair the damage that has been done? An outcome agreement is normally drawn up at this stage, with both parties agreeing what will be done.
Reintegration – a chance for both people to speak to each other informally, if they wish. This can help the victim to move on from the incident.